Buyers Don’t Pay Property Purchase Tax on New Homes at Woodland Creek 

On February 16th, the BC Government gave buyers of new homes in British Columbia an advantage by exempting them from the Property Purchase Tax on new home purchases.  This regulatory change eliminates the provincial tax payable on real estate transactions in the amount of 1% on the first $200,000 and 2% on the balance, a savings of $13,000 on a new home purchase of $750,000.

All new homes at Woodland Creek in Sooke qualify for the new tax exemption.  With new home prices starting at $389,900, this saves buyers a minimum of $5,000 when making a ‘new home’ purchase in one of Victoria BC’s favourite seaside communities.

Below are some key points to consider:

1. The exemption applies only to newly built homes – not resale homes.

2. There is a full exemption for qualifying properties with a fair market value of $750,000 or less and a partial exemption for qualifying properties with a fair market value between $750,000 and $800,000.

3. The property must be 0.5 hectares (1.24 acres) or smaller.

4. The party claiming the exemption:

a. must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

b. must use the property as a principal residence.

c. does not have to be a first time home buyer.

Other Changes to the BC Property Transfer Tax Rate

Another change to the Property Transfer Tax Act is a new tax rate of 3% for properties with a fair market value greater than $2,000,000. The Property Transfer Tax (PTT) is now calculated as follows:

1. 1% of the taxable transaction’s fair market value that does not exceed $200,000.

2. 2% of that fair market value that exceeds $200,000 but does not exceed $2,000,000.

3. 3% of that fair market value that exceeds $2,000,000.

First Time Buyers Exemption 

The First Time Home Buyers’ Program eliminates the amount of property transfer tax you pay when you purchase your first home (new or resale).  The home must be $475,000 or less if registered and be 0.5 hectares (1.24 acres) or smaller

Further Information

Below are some links with further information regarding the qualifications criteria:

1. Frequently Asked Questions about the changes to the BC Property Transfer Tax Act: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/property-taxes/property-transfer-tax/understand/exemptions/newly-built-home-exemption#qualify

2. A Guide to the Property Transfer Tax – Newly Built Home Exemption: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/property-taxes/property-transfer-tax/understand/exemptions/newly-built-home-exemption#qualify

3. A Table of Property Transfer Tax – Newly Built Home Exemption amounts: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/property-taxes/property-transfer-tax/understand/exemptions/newly-built-home-exemption/exemption-amounts

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Celebrating their 47th year in business, Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development and land management company established in 1968. In 2014 Totangi was ranked #1 in Canada for Customer Satisfaction by Avid Ratings. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.

2012 Gold CARE Award winner for Best New Subdivision, Woodland Creek is a residential neighbourhood of new homes in the heart of Sooke, British Columbia – a waterfront community near Victoria BC. A planned residential community, Woodland Creek was designed with the objective of providing a wide range of new housing opportunities for the community; close to schools, parks and the Sooke shopping and service core with the fundamental commitments of quality construction, lasting value and the long-term commitment of an established local developer.

For more information, visit www.totangi.ca .

February  11, 2015 – Sooke BC.

We are excited to announce the opening of our new sales centre at Woodland Creek on Sunday, February 15th between 1-4 this coincides with the launch of our new relationship with Re/Max Camosun Westside as our real estate services partner.

The new Sales Centre is located on Callumwood Lane in Woodland Creek  across from Woodland Creek Park and Playground, the new purpose built sales centre is the starting point for your on-site introduction to our award winning new homes.

Let our knowledgeable sales team show you the unique differences that set us apart from the  ‘new home’ crowd.   As a multiple building and development award winner and the 2014 recipient of the Avid Diamond Award #1 in Canada for Customer Experience, we think it is fair to say you owe yourself a visit to Woodland Creek before you make your next home purchase.

New Lots –  In response to market demand we’ve opened up another 26 single family lots adjacent to Woodland Creek Park and next to Ecole Porier and Journey Middle School.  Parkside and mountain view lots are available.

Customize your New Home.  We are excited to be building several homes through our pre-sale program that gives buyers the opportunity to customize their new home with personal selections of building plans, interior finishes, landscape treatments, and custom enhancements and upgrades.  Don’t wait to see what’s on the market when your ready buy — with the pre-sale program you plan ahead and see your new home take shape before your eyes and take occupancy in as little at 6 months.  How does it work? Read this Blog about Kyla and Derek’s Awesome Home Buying Experience. 

We look forward to seeing you soon. Click here for Directions.

Best regards,

Blair Robertson, Bruce MacMillan, and Cecile Bowie- Harland

Contact us for more information.

 – 30-

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Celebrating their 45th year in business,  Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated award winning property development and land management company established in 1968. In 2014 Totangi was ranked #1 in Canada for Customer Satisfaction by Avid Ratings.   Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson and their team work closely with the 2012 Built Green Builder of the Year, SC Smith Building Company, in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.

It’s our 10th Anniversary at Woodland Creek, and we are celebrating the launch of our 6th  phase of homes with a special new buyer incentive on pre construction sales.  Enter into a new build contract for one of our many plans prior to June 30th and we will include an upgrade package worth $10,000.  With new 3 bedroom family homes starting at $359,900, this is a deal you won’t want to miss.

Buyers taking advantage of this opportunity will benefit from a package that will increase the wow factor of your home’s kitchen and also add technology to reduce your energy bill.  The two part bonus package includes:

1. A  kitchen upgrade to solid surface Quartz countertop and;

2. An Energy Efficient Ductless Heat Pump that will increase your new homes Energuide rating and save you about $300 per year on your energy bill and provide comfortable heating and air conditioning year round to your home.

These upgrades are in addition to the many standard features of our Award Winning homes and community.  If you are on the hunt for a new home, we encourage to you make the trip to Woodland Creek and compare what we offer to the rest.  The difference is in the details.

Come to our Open House Friday – Sunday Noon – 4.  Or call our sales team for more information.

It’s a new year and to start it off with a splash and whet your Open House appetite we have 3 new homes to view with prices starting at $354,900 net GST included. Open House Friday –  Sunday Noon -4.

Woodland Creek, the 2012 Gold Care Award winner of Best New Subdivision and Built Green Builder of the Year, is proud to present a selection of homes that are finished in both the more affordable Classic Scheme and our upscale Premium Schemes both loaded with features.

• Energy saving geothermal heating and air conditioning valued at $20,000 that will save over $1,100 per year in energy costs;
• Built Green Certified Gold and Energuide rated +83
• Energy Star appliance package for the kitchen and energy star washer and dryer;
• Natural gas fireplace with wood mantle and tile or rock surround plus gas BBQ service on the patio;
• 9 foot ceiling on main floor with coffered or vaulted ceilings and crown molding;
• Spacious master suite with walk-in closet and generous ensuite – premium scheme with heated tile floors and floor to ceiling tile;
• Custom designed kitchens with open island for exceptional function and ease of entertaining;
• Feature fir panel entrance door with glass windows;
• Fully landscaped and fenced yards.

Prices for the 3 bedroom homes start at $374,900 net taxes included. And we have our very popular 2 bedroom + den, 2 bathroom rancher plan, the Elm  available from $354,900 net taxes included.

We look forward to seeing your during our Open House times  or by appointment with our sales team.

Click Here for Directions.

Open House Times:   Every Friday  –  Sunday Noon – 4pm.

It’s a new year and to start it off with a splash and whet your Open House appetite we have 4 new homes to view with prices starting at $369,900 net taxes included. Swing by to see them and enter the draw to win a new iPad.

Woodland Creek, the 2012 Gold Care Award winner of Best New Subdivision and Built Green Builder of the Year, is proud to present a selection of homes that are finished in both the more affordable Classic Scheme and our upscale Premium Schemes both loaded with features.

• Energy saving geothermal heating and air conditioning valued at $20,000 that will save over $1,100 per year in energy costs;
• Built Green Certified Gold and Energuide rated +80
• Energy Star appliance package for the kitchen and energy star washer and dryer;
• Natural gas fireplace with wood mantle and tile or rock surround plus gas BBQ service on the patio;
• 9 foot ceiling on main floor with coffered or vaulted ceilings and crown molding;
• Spacious master suite with walk-in closet and generous ensuite – premium scheme with heated tile floors and floor to ceiling tile;
• Custom designed kitchens with open island for exceptional function and ease of entertaining;
• Feature fir panel entrance door with glass windows;
• Fully landscaped and fenced yards.

Prices for the 3 bedroom homes start at $379,900 net taxes included. And we have our very popular 2 bedroom + den, 2 bathroom rancher plan, the Elm, under construction and available from $369,900 net taxes included.

We look forward to seeing your during our Open House times  or by appointment with our sales team.

Click Here for Directions.

Open House Times:   Every Friday through Sunday 12pm – 4pm.

Beautiful weather, cotton candy, cup cakes and face painting drew out the neighbourhood and visitors to the grand opening of Sooke’s newest park.  Woodland Creek Park in the heart of the Woodland Creek residential community was officially opened on Saturday September 22 by the Mayor of Sooke Wendal Milne.

The new, three-acre park features a playground, pond and walking trails, surrounded by tall trees and adjacent to the local elementary and middle school. As the newest municipal park in Sooke, Woodland Creek Park offers residents and visitors an opportunity to access parkland within their community without needing to drive.

“It was a great day,” said Blair Robertson, co-owner of Totangi Properties the developer of Woodland Creek.”We are really pleased that the hard work of our construction team, in particular Billy Cameron and Nick Wagstaff, has paid off in the creation of this beautiful park that can be enjoyed by the neighbourhood and the community.”

Discover Sooke blogger and photographer  Jason van der Valk attended the event with his family and created a fun video blog of the event incorporating his new ‘baby cam’ technology.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLREcLKm5mA&feature=g-all-u

Woodland Creek Park is part of the fifth phase of development that includes 29 single family homes. Homes in this latest phase are Built Green certified, Energuide rated 80+, and offer energy saving geothermal heating and cooling. At completion, the Woodland Creek community in the heart of Sooke will include over 220 homes and town homes, a neighbourhood commercial area, parks, and trails all conveniently located adjacent to local schools and shopping.

For more information visit www.woodlandcreek.ca.

Totangi Properties celebrates opening of Woodland Creek Park and Gold CARE Award wins.

Sept.19, 2012, Sooke, BC – Hot on the heels of winning the Best New Subdivision and Built Green Builder of the Year at the 2012 Construction Achievements and Renovations of Excellence (CARE) awards, Woodland Creek is pleased to announce the opening Woodland Creek Park –  Sooke’s newest municipal park.

On Saturday, Sept. 22 from 1 to 3 p.m., residents and visitors are invited to join Sooke Mayor Wendal Milne for the grand opening, ribbon cutting and dedication of Woodland Creek Park. Along with the park dedication, guests are invited to visit two Woodland Creek show homes adjacent to the park and enter to win draw prizes and enjoy refreshments; children will have the opportunity to enjoy the new playground and other children activities including pirate balloon twisters, bubble blowing, popcorn and cotton candy treats.

The new, three-acre park features a playground, pond and walking trails, surrounded by tall trees and adjacent to the local elementary and middle school. As the newest municipal park in Sooke, Woodland Creek Park offers residents and visitors an opportunity to access parkland within their community without needing to drive.

“With the opening of Woodland Creek Park we are inviting residents to come out and enjoy the latest addition to the growing municipal parks system,” says Blair Robertson, co-owner of Totangi Properties Ltd., the developer behind Woodland Creek. “Sooke is known for being close to many of our favourite outdoor activities, including kayaking and hiking; now, Woodland Creek Park offers residents easy access to outdoor activities within walking distance of downtown
Sooke.”

Woodland Creek Park is part of the fifth phase of development that includes 29 single family homes. Homes in this latest phase are Built Green certified, Energuide rated 80+, and offer energy saving geothermal heating and cooling. At completion, the Woodland Creek community in the heart of Sooke will include over 220 homes and town homes, a neighbourhood commercial area, parks, and trails all conveniently located adjacent to local schools and shopping.

For more information about the grand opening of Woodland Creek Park, visit www.woodlandcreek.ca.

About Totangi Properties Ltd. and Woodland Creek

Totangi Properties is a locally-owned and operated property development and land management company established in 1968. Brothers Warren and Blair Robertson work closely with a talented team of local professionals and the District of Sooke in the creation of Woodland Creek and are committed to creating affordable, high-quality residential properties with lasting homeowner value.
For more information, visit www.totangi.ca.

Sooke and the Power to Play

Boy, do we have a contest for you.

For art lovers, the arrival of summer means more than 80 SPF, barbeques and board shorts – it’s a season chockfull of art shows, festivals and celebrations!

And to kick off this season of art appreciation, our team here at Woodland Creek is holding three separate contests with awesome prizes that’ll make art lovers of degrees weak at the knees.

From winning tickets to preview the Sooke Fine Arts Show to an overnight Sooke grand prize getaway at the new Best Western Prestige Oceanfront Resort, it’s time to break out that lucky four-leaf clover, matted rabbit’s foot and upside-down horseshoes!

Retweet to win a pair of tickets to the Purchasers’ Preview of the Sooke Fine Arts Show

Can’t wait for the Sooke Fine Arts Show? Well now you don’t have to – enter our Twitter-based contest to win one of five pairs of tickets to the exclusive Sooke Fine Arts Show Purchasers’ Preview event on Thursday, July 21 from 7 to 10 p.m. Join a group of art lovers, enjoy an evening of music, delicious appies and fine wines and get the first peek at the show that celebrates Vancouver Island and Gulf Island artists.

To enter: from now until Tuesday, July 12, retweet any @Woodland_Creek messages containing the hashtag #sooke1. Only one entry per Twitter user, winners will be picked by randomized draw and announced July 13. Each prize is valued at $50.
This contest is now closed. Congratulations to our lucky tweeters!

Fill out a Facebook entry form to win a pair of tickets to the Sooke Fine Arts Show

Want to check out some of the stunning works from this region’s top artists? The Sooke Fine Arts Show, held at the SEAPARC Leisure Complex in Sooke from July 23 to Aug. 1, is an awesome showcase of emerging and well-known artists from Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Enter our Facebook-based contest to win one of five pairs of tickets to see the show! For more information about this event, visit http://www.sookefinearts.com/ticket-info.php.

To enter: from now until Monday, July 18, Like our Woodland Creek Facebook page and fill out the contest form for a chance to win a pass (for two people!) to the Sooke Fine Arts Show. By randomized draw, we’ll pick (and announce) the winner on July 19. Each prize is valued at $16.
This contest is now closed. Congratulations to our lucky Woodland Creek Facebook friends! Enjoy the show.

Visit our Woodland Creek show home to win a doozey of a grand prize

Win the ultimate Sooke getaway package with our Sooke Fine Arts Show Grand Prize giveaway – an overnight stay at the beautiful Prestige Oceanfront Resort and a $100 dining gift certificate at Markus’ Wharfside Restaurant overlooking the Sooke Harbour. This grand prize will make your summer a whole lot sweeter!

To enter: During the Sooke Fine Arts Show from July 23 until July 31st , visit our Woodland Creek show home (6580 Callumwood Lane, Sooke) to get your ballot and enter to win.

The winner for the Sooke Fine Arts Grand Prize will be drawn on Aug. 1 at 4 p.m. at the Sooke Fine Arts Show. This prize is valued at $600.

Good luck to all our contest entrants!

Blair

PS: prize must be accepted as offered, no cash value…

Woodland Creek is a planned community of stylish affordable new houses in Sooke, BC. We know you’ll love our small town charm, home designs and the fact that our homes are heated with inexpensive geo-thermal heating to keep you cosy with your art work. Come for the Sooke Fine Arts show and stay for the Sooke westcoast living.

As far as social media goes, it’s safe to say I’m a newbie – and I’m OK with that. When Dad first started Totangi Properties more than 40 years ago, he operated under the motto of “take your time, but do it right.”

(This is something he also instilled in me at an early age: first, in my teens when I did a sloppy job of washing the car in order to get an allowance advance; later, when he turned his family land management and development company over to my brother Warren and I).

So when it came to social media, Warren and I took our sweet time really learning the lay of the land and understanding why so many housing development businesses like ours fall short in this area.

(Here’s something to try: enter a party packed with strangers and start yelling messages about why Woodland Creek, Sooke , #istheMOSTawesomedevelopmentinSooke. Then call me and let me know how it goes. I’ll give bonus points if you refer to yourself solely in third person.)

As I found out more about social media, I really got a sense of its purpose as a community builder ¬– some awesome things (and conversations) were happening on Twitter and Facebook. Warren and I decided we should be a part of it.

One day a few months ago, we bit the bullet and created a Woodland Creek Facebook page, and got started on Twitter. Coincidentally, this was also around the time when the Power to Be adventure therapy organization, first contacted me, asking Woodland Creek to be part of their annual Power to Play event.

How Woodland Creek Used Social Media to Raise Money for Power to Be

Then the light bulb went off: why not use the true strength of social media, community, to leverage our fundraising efforts? A few weeks later, our “ask” was up and running: for every unique “like” our Woodland Creek Facebook page received, Woodland Creek would donate $2 to Power to Play. At the start, I figured we’d be lucky if we hit 100 likes. You know how much money was raised by the end?

A whopping $2,400!

Holy Toledo. What an introduction to the awesomeness that is social media. Not only were we exposed to an amazing bunch of like minded people who really care about our community and Power to Be, but I also got to get my hands dirty (really dirty) during the wet, May event. Our team, Up the Creek (where’s the paddle?), included me, my wife Nancy and another couple Jenn and Brent. We had a great time competing in the adventure race, battling the mud (and hypothermia) and ended up placing 13 out of 28. We’ll be back for round two next year!

Through the Power to Play event, I learned more about the cool work Power to Be does for youth in our community and so we ran a follow-up radio promo with Ocean and Jack FM, asking for more Facebook likes/$2 donations. That earned an additional $1,250, bringing our total Power to Be community give to $3,650.

I’m looking forward to meeting more tweeps and friends over the next few months and learning more about the power of Sooke’s online community. And who knows ¬– maybe over time I’ll show that development and real estate companies can do social media right?

All the best,
Blair
___________________________________________________________
Blair and Warren Robertson are the creators of Woodland Creek – a community of affordable new homes in Sooke, BC – real estate development that uses geo-thermal energy heating. They are unabashed Sooke supporter, tweeting as @woodland_creek with the hashtag, #ysookerox and updating fans with Sooke offers and deals at facebook.com/woodlandcreeksookebc.

Woodland Creek grabbed the Power to Play and got into the mud to support the Power to Be’s efforts to empower disadvantaged people to discover their own ability though kayaking, camping, rock climbing and other outdoor activities – and hope others will too.